Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was magnanimous during her victory speech after her party secured the House of Representatives, promising not to go after Republicans the way the opposition went after her and her liberal comrades.
Pelosi plays nice
Now, some observers might say that Pelosi is being the bigger person here. She’s refusing to get down in the mud with President Trump who, if we’re being honest, takes to a mud-slinging fight like a wild pig. But, Pelosi’s paean to civility may not be the best move, politically speaking. For one, her caucus, fresh off a win, will want to go after Trump immediately.
Check out Pelosi’s comment below, taken from during her victory speech:
Here was Pelosi’s exact quote: “We are not going after the Republicans the way that they came after us. We are not them; we are the Democrats.”
Democrats want to feast on the blood of impeachment
This is too cute by half. Plenty of Pelosi’s Democrats have hinted that they will do no less than impeach Trump should they take back the House. (RELATED: Pelosi Admits Dem-Controlled House Would Seek To Impeach Trump.) Maxine Waters, who is an elder stateswoman of the Democrat caucus, is a big cheerleader for impeachment. (RELATED: Maxine Waters Has Democrats Cheering Over Impeaching Trump.)
According to a newly released CNN report, 40% of Democrat voters in the midterms are itching to impeach Trump. That’s a near-majority.
Possible Speaker of the House challenge for Pelosi
If Pelosi starts playing softball now, surely some more strident Democrats will not be appreciative. Already, there are rumors that Pelosi faces a tough road back to the Speaker’s dais. The Los Angeles Times reports that some Democrats who won last night had distanced themselves from Pelosi:
Though she played a key role in helping Democrats regain the majority for the first time since 2011, Pelosi faces a new battle: regaining the speaker’s gavel amid grumbling from a growing minority of rank-and-file Democrats about the need for new leadership.
Several Democrats, including some incoming lawmakers, publicly distanced themselves during the midterm campaign from Nancy Pelosi, who is vastly unpopular with conservatives and less so with progressive liberals. https://t.co/3YxKzu6IZI
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 7, 2018
If Pelosi really doesn’t plan on hammering Republicans, it’s likely she’ll face a challenger for the speakership from a more progressive member. Even so, Pelosi is the canniest of politicians. She’ll put up a fight, perhaps even win. But the Democrat Party is changing. Voters want fighters – not pols who get along with the other side.
Soon enough, Pelosi won’t be so popular.
